Echoes
by Darth Brando
Summary: Part 4 of Doctor Who: The Hunger Games Series. After all these years, Peeta and I still can't escape. And now the Doctor has been dragged into it too. The place of death and nightmares, the place that Peeta's arms shield me from. But there is no shield from this. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The nightmare is real and nothing can protect us now. We're back in the Games.
1. Prologue

The TARDIS is rocked by another explosion. I grit my teeth and hold onto the floor and Peeta more tightly. We are both desperately attempting to cling to the floor so that we don't roll into one of the several gouts of flame that shoot from the grates in the floor.

The Doctor is at the control panel trying to regain control. As far as I can tell nothing he does is helping, especially with parts of the control panel sparking and exploding fairly regularly. There is a burst of a white smoke and the Doctor and the control panel are obscured. Still, I can hear him urging the TARDIS to work.

One of the wires hanging from the ceiling breaks loose. Sparks shoot out from the broken ends as the longer half swings towards me and Peeta. He rolls over, pulling me with him. The broken wire bounces along the floor shooting hot sparks in every direction. I squeeze my eyes shut as the sparks burn against my skin.

Then the wire is gone, swinging away towards the wall where it gets tangled with the hat rack. Peeta holds me closer, and is now practically laying on me. I would protest him exposing himself to all the danger, but I am too nauseous to say anything as the TARDIS continues to jolt violently and the acidic taste of burning plastic invades my mouth, clinging to my tongue and throat.

In a gap in the smoke enveloping the console, I see the Doctor fall to the ground as the TARDIS jolts. I feel my grip slipping as the TARDIS is rocked by another explosion. There is a third jolt and the gravity flips so now the TARDIS is spinning on its side.

I try to cling to the ground, now the wall, more tightly and Peeta does the same. When the TARDIS jolts again, Peeta loses his grip and I am pulled away with him. Where we were a moment before, gouts of fire burst from the floor and scorch the ceiling. I hear Peeta grunt as he hits the wall, and he grunts again as I land on top of him.

I wince in sympathy, but still can't speak. I try to lift my head, but I feel like I'm glued to the wall. Now above us, the Doctor is still trying to get the TARDIS under control, but there isn't enough left of the control panel. Finally he gives up and just clings to the railing as parts of the glass floor beneath him start to shatter.

There is another jolt and the gravity shifts again and I fall to the floor in a heap, Peeta next to me. A grinding groaning sound fills the interior and finally we stop spinning. Slowly, carefully, I push myself to my feet before helping Peeta up.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

I assess my injuries. I'm going to have bruises all over, but nothing seems to be broken. "I'm fine, you?" I respond.

"Just dizzy," says Peeta even though we both know he's going to be more bruised than me tomorrow. "Doctor?"

The Doctor bounds down the stairs. "Fine, fine," he says looking sadly at the control console. "This will take weeks to fix, even with self-repair."

"That long?" I ask, a sinking feeling in my stomach. Wherever we are, we're trapped and I don't like the feeling.

"It's not a DeLorean," the Doctor answers somewhat irritably. "She's a very complex and complicated machine."

"Okay, so it'll take awhile to fix," says Peeta. "Where are we?"

The Doctor bounds to the doors and opens one before sticking his head outside. "We're on Earth," he says. "Some sort of jungle. South American I think. The sky's a bit off though." He pulls himself back inside. "I love it when the sky looks off," he says. "Come on."

With an internal sigh, I follow him, making sure I my bow and arrows are undamaged. I'm so focused on checking each arrow that I don't take in our surroundings when I step out. I don't truly register the humidity or the uniform trees.

"Katniss," says Peeta. There's something about his tone that indicates that something very bad has just happened. I look up, expecting to see the Doctor bleeding to death or severely injured. Instead I see something just as bad, if not worse in some ways.

I know where we are the second I see the trees. Above us is the familiar, yet unnatural pink sky. And just behind the trees is something I never wanted to see again. It looks like a small lake surrounded by a beach, but from past experience I know it's salty. At the center is a small island, and on that island, something I never thought I would see again.

A sound between a sob and a scream escapes my throat. Tears blur my eyes and I sink to my knees, fighting back tears. Peeta wraps his arms around me, telling me that everything will be okay, even though we both know it won't be.

The Doctor joins us, clearly confused by our reaction. "What's wrong?" he asks, a puzzled look on his face.

I don't speak for fear of screaming in terror and frustration and bringing everyone to our location. Instead, I raise my left hand and point at the massive golden Cornucopia that glints in the sunlight. My worst nightmare has come to life. It isn't fair that I've survived twice, only to be brought back here again.

After all these years, Peeta and I still can't escape. And now the Doctor has been dragged into it too. The place of death and nightmares, the place that Peeta's arms shield me from. But there is no shield from this. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The nightmare is real and nothing can protect us now.

We're back in the Games.


	2. Enter the Nightmare

Tick tock goes the clock

He cradled and he rocked her

Tick tock goes the clock

Even for the Doctor.

Tick tock goes the clock

And all the years they fly.

Tick tock and all too soon

Your Love will surely die.

Peg Dolls _Night Terrors _and Madame Kovarian _A Good Man Goes to War: _Doctor Who Series 6

* * *

It takes us awhile to fill the Doctor in on what the Games are. It's a little strange for me to explain what the Hunger Games are having grown up with them looming over me my entire life. Though life has been strange, impossible even, ever since the Doctor showed up. I should be used to it by now.

As we explain the Games and the Quarter Quell, the Doctor's expression slowly changes into the one that reminds me of a winter storm bearing down. But when I explain to him that Peeta and I participated in this Quell, his expression becomes one of alarm.

"We have to go _now_," he insists.

"Why?" I ask, surprised by his intensity.

"You can't interfere with your own timeline," the Doctor says. "Things have to stay exactly the same as they were. Otherwise you could blow a hole in the side of the Universe. Then everything goes wobbly and I have to come up with a clever way to fix it."

"You said the TARDIS won't work for awhile," Peeta points out. "So we're stuck here aren't we?"

The Doctor waves his arms, clearly agitated. "We still have to stay in the TARDIS," he says doing his best to herd us back. "Once repairs are complete, we can leave."

But we never make it back. During our explanation of the Hunger Games we had wandered off a bit since I'm too agitated to stand still. As the Doctor is herding us back to the TARDIS, I see one of the Capitol's hovercraft, used to collect the bodies of Tributes, appear in the air. My first thought is that the hovercraft is here to capture us. Then a claw descends from the hovercraft's belly and grabs the TARDIS. The Doctor breaks into a run, but it's too late. Before we make it back, the hovercraft is lifting the TARDIS away. I fire a couple arrows at it, but to no avail. They bounce off the sides of the hovercraft and fall uselessly into the jungle.

"No, no, no!" shouts the Doctor. He pulls out his screwdriver and points it at the escaping hovercraft. He activates it and I expect to see the hovercraft burst into flames. But nothing happens and the hovercraft, TARDIS in tow, flies out of sight.

With the Capitol in control of the TARDIS, we are truly trapped. It's only a matter of time before they turn one of the traps in the arena on us and kill us or, more likely, take us to the Capitol where they will torture us until we show them how to work the TARDIS.

The idea of the Capitol in control of the TARDIS is horrifying. Not only could they stop the uprising, they could stop it from ever happening. They could go back to the Dark Days and find a way to destroy District 13. Or they could kill me in a countless number of ways, either before the Games or during, to deprive the rebels of their Mockingjay.

Despite that possibility, I feel surprisingly calm. Not only have I survived the Quarter Quell before, I now have Peeta and the Doctor with me. And this turn of events is a blessing in disguise. If the TARDIS is in the Capitol, it gives me an excuse to be there which gives me an opportunity to save Prim. The only difficulty is finding a way to get there at the right time. Too early and I could be discovered by the Capitol, arrested and executed. Too late and Prim dies again. It's going to be tricky, but with Peeta, it won't be impossible.

But right now, we have to focus on surviving. I don't know what point in the Quell this is, nor do I know what time it is. It's important I find out because this arena is a giant clock that will release a new horror every hour. If we're in the wrong place at the wrong time, we could die.

The most important thing is to keep moving and get some supplies. I'm not worried about food because there are tree rats and the nuts, and I'm armed with my bow and a near-full quiver of arrows. It's water that will be the problem. As hot and humid as it is, Peeta and I won't last long without it. As for the Doctor, I don't know how long he can go without water, but I suspect that he needs it too. The only way to get water though is to tap the trees which is impossible without a spile.

I suggest we move to the Cornucopia since it's safe from most of the Arena's attacks, and it's where most of the weapons are. The Doctor doesn't like the idea of being in the open because we risk being seen by ourselves. So we compromise to stay hidden until nightfall. Then we can get to the supplies without being seen. We can find something to use as a makeshift spile. It wouldn't hurt to have a few extra weapons either.

We make our way through the woods, slowly and cautiously. But we see no one. Not surprising if we're near the end of the Quell. Still, we cautiously make our way through the jungle. With not much else to preoccupy me, I start to wonder if I could help my younger self, give her a hint or message to stay with Peeta when the force field goes down.

I open my mouth to ask, but Peeta already knows what I'm thinking. "You would attack if you saw yourself here," he says.

He's right of course. If I had seen another version of myself during the Games I would have assumed it was a mutt and would have killed it on sight and not bothered to ask questions later. I consider it for a moment before I think of a brilliant answer.

"I don't remember killing myself so it didn't happen," I say, feeling pleased with my logic. "So I don't need to worry about it."

"Time can be rewritten," says the Doctor adjusting his bow tie. Though Peeta and I are drenched in sweat, the Doctor doesn't seem to be bothered by the heat or humidity. It almost makes me wish I were a Time Lord. "The past isn't fixed," he adds.

I remember the Doctor saying something similar in Delphi, though I didn't realize it would be the same for my own timeline. How could it? If I killed the past version of myself, I wouldn't be here now and so couldn't have killed myself in the first place. But that would mean that I would actually be there to kill myself. I realize this is far more complicated than I thought and it makes my head hurt. So I give up and instead focus on looking out for the other Tributes.

I become so focused on looking, I don't watch the ground. I don't see the snare that Peeta steps in. I only become aware of it when he cries out and I look over to see him dangling in the air by one leg.

The Doctor and I approach Peeta, but slowly, carefully, making sure there are no other traps. I don't remember anyone making a snare like this during the Games. As I look closer at the intricate knots, it reminds me of something Gale would have made. If I didn't know better I would say that he had made it. But that's impossible because Gale was never in the Games with me.

"Hang around here much?" I ask. It's a terrible joke and Peeta knows it, but he still grins.

"Only for you," Peeta responds as I stand underneath him.

I hold Peeta up as best I can while the Doctor activates his screwdriver. The vine holding Peeta up breaks and I suddenly find myself trying to hold his whole weight up. He's heavy and we both fall to the ground, but I do manage to keep him from falling uncontrollably. He falls on top of me, adding to the bruises I collected while the TARDIS was crashing. If I wake up tomorrow any other colors than black, purple, and blue, I'll be surprised.

Grumbling to myself, I struggle to my feet, brushing myself off. No bones are broken, but a couple of my arrows were snapped in half. My bow and most of the arrows at least escaped undamaged. As I toss aside the broken arrows, I see him stepping out from between the trees. But it doesn't make sense. He wasn't here, he shouldn't be here.

"What's wrong?" asks Peeta seeing the look on my face.

I open and close my mouth, but the only sound I can make is a dry croak. So I point. Peeta and the Doctor both turn to see him. Both slowly raise their arms to show they are unarmed. But if he thought they were an immediate threat he would have already shot them.

Standing between the trees, bow loaded and aiming an arrow at us is Gale.


	3. Revelations

**Author's note: Hey all, just a quick request for you to leave a comment. I'm always happy to hear from readers, and if no one comments, I can't tell if people don't like the story or if their minds are blown by how awesome this is (or even somewhere in the middle). So please, comment and let me know what you think. So, without further ado. . .**

* * *

"Gale?" I ask tentatively. My mind is reeling, trying to figure out why he's here. Is he a mutt designed to look like someone I know and loved so that I lower my defenses? I don't think so. The details are too perfect for him to be a fake. The Capitol could never replicate the way his hair curls, could never recreate his eyes that see what so many others miss. They couldn't recreate his hands, strong enough for the mines of 12, yet gentle and precise enough to set the most delicate of snares. This is no copy.

"Katniss?" he asks, obviously as confused by my presence as I am by his.

"Don't trust her Gale!" It is my voice, but I am not the one who speaks. I'm confused until I see myself step out from behind a tree. The other Katniss pulls back her bowstring and aims an arrow at me before adding: "She's a mutt."

She seems ready to shoot if I so much as sneeze. I can't blame her. Seeing another me is the most bizarre thing I've seen, even with all the strange things I've seen recently.

Gale draws back his bowstring and alternates his aim between Peeta and the Doctor. I don't know how he knows which of us is the right Katniss until I realize that the other me is wearing the uniform given to all Tributes.

"Who are you?" Gale demands. I can see anger in his eyes. Anger that the Capitol would make a mutt of someone he cares about. Anger because if he kills me, he will always be haunted by the image of his arrows piercing my body. Anger because that image will haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life. It makes him hesitate, so I slowly place my bow on the ground. Then I slowly raise my hands to show I mean him no harm.

The Doctor however, swaggers over to Gale and I'm afraid he'll get shot. Since neither Peeta nor I know how to fly the TARDIS, that would trap us here. And without the Doctor, I have no idea how to get the TARDIS back from the Capitol.

"I'm the Doctor," he introduces himself. Gale seems taken aback by the combination of his confidant, forward approach and unfamiliar accent. But Gale doesn't lower his bow, nor does the suspicion leave his eyes.

"You aren't a Tribute," Gale says. "Did the Capitol send you?"

"I have nothing to do with them," the Doctor answers. "And thank goodness for that because from what I've heard of them, I'd rather kiss a Dalek than be associated with those murderers."

Both Gale and the other me stare at the Doctor in surprise. Normal people would never dare say such a thing in private. Yet, here in the Arena of all places, the Doctor is speaking out against the Capitol despite every camera likely being turned on us right now. I take advantage of Gale and the other Katniss's stunned silence.

"Doctor," I say, not taking my eyes off the other me. "What's going on? Peeta was in the Games with me, not Gale."

"No idea," The Doctor says, as his brows furrow in concentration. He pulls out his sonic screwdriver and makes a sweep of the area. "Oh," he finally says.

"Oh?" says the other me, adjusting her grip on her bow. "What does that mean?"

"We're in a parallel Universe," answers the Doctor. The four of us stare at him, not understanding. He notices and clarifies.

"Are you familiar with how echoes work?" He asks. We all nod and he continues. "When they reverberate, the sound becomes slightly distorted. Similarly, parallel universes are like echoes. The details change more as you get further away from the original Universe. Though I'm surprised we ended up here. Getting into a parallel is almost impossible now. Also, now that there are two of you, calling you both Katniss would get confusing. Maybe Katniss one and Katniss two. Not original, but it works."

"Katniss and Catnip," says Gale pointing at the other me. I see a ghost of a smile on Catnip's lips. There's something comforting about having the same nickname here. It means that things could be normal here and could be okay.

"If it's almost impossible, how did we end up here?" Peeta asks.

In answer, the Doctor points. I follow where his finger points. Looming in the sky is a familiar crack that marks the entrance to a bridge. On the other side is a storm of some kind with swirling blue clouds and almost constant lightning.

"What's on the other side?" asks Peeta.

"That's the time vortex," says the Doctor. He looks worried. "Someone managed to make a bridge _in _the Time Vortex. That's _fearsome _technology."

"Okay, fine," says Gale. From his expression I know he doesn't trust us, but he knows we're telling the truth. "But how did you end up travelling with Peeta and Katniss? Did you save them from their Games?"

"We survived on our own," I say. "We didn't meet the Doctor until five years after the Quell." I almost tell them about the revolution, but decide against it. Every camera in the Arena must be turned on us right now, and anything I say could change how the revolution ends.

"How did Peeta get in the Games?" Gale asks.

"I was chosen at the reaping," Peeta says. "I used to think it was the worst day of my life. It wasn't until later that I realized it was one of the best things that could have happened to me."

"Why?"Catnip asks.

"Because if it didn't happen, I probably would never have married Katniss," Peeta answers.

There is a moment of stunned silence. Slowly, Gale's expression becomes one of rage. It's a look that promises death and destruction. But there's something else, a look of pain in his eyes. He's hurt that I wouldn't choose him, even if it was another version of him. He looks to me, and I can see him begging with his eyes for me to deny it. Begging to know why I would choose Peeta over him.

"You _what_?" Gale finally says. He does his best to keep his voice even and calm, but I can hear the pain in his voice.

"The baker's boy?" asks Catnip. "You picked the baker's boy over Gale?" But she at least would understand the debt I owed Peeta for saving my life.

"Yes," I say defensively. "And I've never regretted it." I can see the hurt in Gale's eyes, and I feel a little bit of satisfaction. It seems that even years later, I can't stop blaming and punishing him for Prim's death. It isn't fair of me because this Gale has done nothing to me.

Peeta puts an arm around me and I notice Gale's hands spasm. I knew that he had feelings for me once. Clearly going through the Games with Catnip has caused those feelings to become stronger.

"I asked Catnip to marry me," says Gale hoarsely, doing his best to keep his rage contained. He's trying to hurt Peeta by telling him he failed here, just as I am hurting him by showing him he failed in my Universe. It seems that even me and a parallel version of Gale will only hurt each other. Because when you mix fire, someone will get burned.

"I, of course, accepted," says Catnip. "It was the happiest day of my life." The two share a quick kiss. From the corner of my eye, I see Peeta flinch, and he grips me a little tighter as if holding onto me would prevent Gale and Catnip from being together here.

"Congratulations," Peeta says coolly. "I hope you'll be as happy as we are." He kisses me to show Gale how happy we are together. I kiss Peeta back feeling a mix of guilt and pleasure at the pain it inflicts on Gale and the obvious discomfort it causes Catnip.

"Congratulations," I say. I try to muster as much happiness as I can, but now it's obvious that the four of us are intent on hurting each other, it's hard.

"Congratulations!" the Doctor interrupts. I was so focused on Gale and Catnip, I had forgotten he was even here. He seems to be the only one who is genuinely happy. "I love weddings! I remember when I went to Amy's –" he chokes, and I can see his clear expression of pain as he falls silent.

Before any of us can comment, I hear a rumbling sound and watch the ten-o'clock wave roar through the trees. It crashes into the water around the Cornucopia, raising the water level at least twenty feet over its normal level. Slowly, the water returns to its normal level. Based on where the wave came from we're in the nine or eleven o'clock.

"We should keep moving," I say. "I don't want to be here if this is the eleven o'clock."

"Come on then," says Gale. He takes the lead, Catnip next to him. They stay close to each other as they walk. From the hunch of Gale's shoulders, I know he's in pain from the revelation that I could be happy with someone else. I want to comfort him, to tell him that we're still friends even though I haven't seen him since the revolution ended.

But I say nothing. Not even the Doctor speaks as we make our way through the jungle. It seems that Gale and I don't only hurt each other, but everyone around us too. Finally Gale and Catnip stop. They've set up a camp at the edge of the woods, but there are no others in sight.

"Where are the others?" I ask.

"What others?" asks Catnip.

"Finnick and Johanna and Beetee," Peeta answers. "Didn't you ally with them?"

"We did, but we decided to leave them after Enobara killed Beetee," Gale answers. "With only six Tributes left, Catnip and I decided to go off on our own. We were out looking for a new camp when you three showed up."

"Beach side view, excellent cover from the sun." says the Doctor. "All you need is those little drinks with umbrellas. I love the drinks with the little umbrellas. So why move camp?"

"The Arena is a clock," Peeta answers. His voice takes on a bitter edge. "Every hour unleashes a new nightmare. If we stay here too long, the trap here will attack us."

The Doctor makes a sweep with his sonic screwdriver. When he completes his circle, the claw springs open. He frowns as he stares at the crystal, as if reading something troubling. "Interesting," he says. "This whole Arena is filled with nano-biotech."

"Nano what?" Catnip asks.

"Nano-biotech," the Doctor answers. "It's technology that can build itself into any life form in the Universe. Send it the schematics for an organism and the pieces organize themselves into a fully functional version."

"And if it dies?" I ask.

"The pieces pull apart and wait for further instructions," the Doctor answers.

I remember the monkeys from the three o'clock area. How they seemingly appeared from nowhere and disappeared after they died. If our Quell had the same biotech, it would explain the monkeys' appearance and disappearance. My thoughts are interrupted by the lightning flashing in the 12 o'clock zone. "We should keep moving," Gale finally says. "We only have a few hours before the trap here activates."

"I can stop the traps," says the Doctor. "If I understand the schematics correctly, everything here is controlled by a computer. I can use the sonic screwdriver to erase the programming and I can block any signals into the Arena. Of course it could disrupt the program and make the Arena unpredictable. Traps would spring arbitrarily and we would probably all die horrible deaths. Maybe it isn't such a good idea."

"Do it," Catnip says. "The Quell is almost over anyway and if it wipes out the other Tributes, we don't have to hunt them down."

"I agree," says Peeta.

"I vote yes," I say. "Gale?"

He regards all of us for a moment before he finally nods. "Do it," he says.

The Doctor holds his screwdriver above his head. "Geronimo," he says. Then he activates the screwdriver and the world explodes.


	4. Mutts!

Every trap in the arena has been activated. The ground starts writhing in places as mutts start crawling out, only to sink back down. All around us is the sound of trees collapsing and the shrieking of mutts. Then it starts raining, a downpour so violent that each raindrop stings as it hammers the skin.

But there are no clouds above us, only the daytime sky. As I watch, the sun slowly sinks below the horizon and night falls faster than I've ever seen it happen. I see the moon rising and it increases its speed as it moves across the sky. Then the sun is rising and setting, followed by the moon again. They rise and set faster and faster until they leave gold and silver streaks across the sky.

Below the streaks that arc like broken halos, stands the Doctor, holding his screwdriver above his head. His expression is a mask of fury. He is both beautiful and terrifying, like the vision of a vengeful God wreaking havoc to show his displeasure.

Then it's over. I look around in awe. Half the trees in the Arena are no longer standing. The Cornucopia has been washed off its island and now sits on its side in the salty lake which is easily forty feet above where it usually sits. As I watch, the water slowly drains away until the lake returns to its normal level.

That's when I feel the ground shift under my feet. I jump back and look down. From the dirt, a face is slowly forcing its way out. "Doctor, what is it?" I cannot take my eyes off it. It is both fascinating and disturbing.

The Doctor scans it with his screwdriver. "The nano-biotech is taking shape. Erm . . ." He spreads his hands out apologetically. "I may have made the traps arbitrary in both timing and location."

"Meaning?" Gale asks.

"I would advise running," says the Doctor.

The five of us run, trying to get away as quickly as possible. But it becomes harder as the ground shifts faster. Soon, not only faces, but hands and bodies are reaching out of the dirt. But they aren't human faces. They are the faces of monkeys, exactly like the ones that existed in my Quell. "Mutts!" I shout.

Though the Doctor described how the nano-biotech works, seeing the monkey mutts seeming to crawl out of the earth is unnerving. "We can't outrun them," Gale pants. He's right. They're surrounding us and we can't hope to escape their range before they finish forming. Our best chance is to stand and fight.

I pick a large patch, clear of the forming monkeys, and we form a pentagon. Gale hands Peeta an extra knife, and I take an extra from Catnip. Then Gale, Catnip and I ready our bows. The Doctor brandishes his sonic screwdriver like a sword, and I hope that it can fend the monkeys off.

Within seconds, the first monkeys finish forming. They attack without hesitation, screaming and howling as they throw themselves at us. I fire an arrow into the chest of the first one that gets too close. Within seconds, I've killed seven or eight. There are so many that I don't even have to aim.

I hear Peeta cry out, and turn. One of the mutts has dug its fangs into his leg. I shoot it through the throat and Peeta kicks the body away. "Are you okay?" I ask, turning back to fend off the others that took advantage of the distraction to get closer.

"Fine," Peeta says. He growls and I hear the sound of his knife cutting into a monkey. "It got my prosthetic."

I hear rustling coming from the trees, and risk a glance up. The monkeys have climbed into the trees overhead and are ready to drop down. "In the trees!" I yell, firing several arrows upwards. Gale and Catnip alternate firing between the monkeys above us and those on the ground. But it isn't enough. There are too many in the trees for us to stop. If they drop down, we will be overwhelmed in seconds. All we can do is hold them off and wait for an opportunity to escape.

"Gale, center!" I order. Gale starts to move to the center, but the Doctor stops him.

"I can get them," the Doctor says. Gale hesitates for a second, but nods and steps back. The Doctor raises his screwdriver and activates it. The leaves and branches above us burst into flames. The monkeys howl as they are roasted alive. One by one, their charred bodies tumble to the ground. The few that survive, the Doctor kills by using the screwdriver to somehow turn them into dust.

The monkeys on the ground, hiss and spit at us, but stop the attack and retreat several yards. The Gamemakers are giving us a chance to recuperate, so when the mutts attack again there will be more blood for the audience. We may be intruders, and we may not belong here, but the people of the Capitol won't care. Blood is blood and the Gamemakers are there to give the people a show.

During the short respite, I check the others for injuries. Other than a few cuts, we're all relatively unscathed. Satisfied everyone is alive and well for now, I check my supplies. I only have three arrows left and Gale and Catnip don't have many more between them. There are a few arrows embedded in mutt corpses within several yards of me, but I dare not leave my spot for fear of inducing another attack. When we run out of arrows, we only have four knives. As for the Doctor, I don't know how much power his screwdriver has.

"How's your screwdriver's power level?" I ask.

The Doctor smiles enigmatically. "Every sun in the Universe will burn out before my screwdriver does," he says, somewhat proudly.

"How do you kill them?" Gale asks. "What kind of weapon is it?"

"It's not a weapon," the Doctor says. "The monkeys are made of the nano-biotech. I use the screwdriver to erase the programming and the biotech falls apart and can't reform. If they were really alive, I couldn't do much other than wave it at them. Granted, I could also talk to them if they were really alive."

The growling and hissing from the monkeys grows louder. Our respite is over. We all take our positions again as the monkeys throw themselves at us. I use the last of my arrows within seconds. I draw my knife and slash at the mutts when they get within range.

Melee combat is worse, more nightmarish. My world becomes one of endless slashing and stabbing, the howling of monkeys, and the feel of their hot breath and blood on my skin, and occasionally, the stabbing sensation of a monkey's teeth biting my arms and legs. But I can't check the wounds. I can only keep fighting, desperately trying to stay alive.

In the corner of my eye, I see Peeta stab one monkey as another throws itself at him. I flash back to our Quell, when something similar happened. Except this time, there will be no one to save him. Except for me. I turn and throw my knife. It catches the mutt in the chest. The monkey tumbles across the ground and rolls until it is only a few feet away. But those feet may as well be miles.

Another mutt throws itself at me and I know I will die. But it's worth the price. At least Peeta will live on. I just hope the Doctor can take him and my body home. Then the Doctor is there, his screwdriver whirring, and the monkey explodes in a puff of dust. Then the rest of the monkeys are retreating. They scamper up trees to make room for the others that cover the ground all around us.

But they don't attack. They keep their distance, howling and screeching at us, barring their sharp fangs in an attempt to intimidate us. I take advantage of the second respite to retrieve my knife and a few nearby arrows. Despite the chance it could provoke another attack, I need them.

Then I check on the others. Only the Doctor seems to have remained unharmed. The rest of us suffer from multiple scratches and a few shallow bites in our legs and arms. My throat is parched, my muscles are sore, and my hands won't stop trembling. I can't imagine the others are doing any better. In short, we're in a sorry shape. We can't hope to survive another attack. Not for long anyway.

"Don't ever do that again," Peeta says angrily as I check his injuries. "I'm not going to lose you. Not here."

"And what if I lose you Peeta?" I ask. "Then what?" I'm aware of Gale and Catnip watching us, but I don't care. Right now, Peeta is the only one who matters.

"The Doctor will take you home," Peeta says.

"Then what?" I demand. "I'm just supposed to move on with life? No, Peeta. You are my life."

"Do you think I feel any different?" Peeta asks. "If you die, I have nothing to live for."

"There's always something to live for," the Doctor interrupts. His voice sounds ancient and sad. "Losing the people you care about is tragic, but you have to keep going. You have to be something more. Because if you don't, they died for nothing."

Peeta and I fall silent. If anyone should know about losing the people you care about it would be the Doctor. Suddenly, I feel sorry for him. Because if he dies, it would be worse than if the rest of us die. If he dies, his people die with him.

The monkeys fall silent as the fanfare that precedes an announcement blares over hidden speakers. Is it over? Are the Gamemakers so afraid of the Doctor that they're ending the Games? Or have they decided that they're going to drag us to the Capitol and will offer us a chance to come peacefully? I listen intently as Claudius Templesmith's voice booms from the speakers.

"Attention," he says. "There are three intruders in the arena who are attempting to disrupt the Quell. They are enemies of the Capitol and any Tributes that aid in killing them will be declared the winners. Any Tribute who assists the traitors will be executed. That is all."

Before the announcement is finished, I'm bringing my bow up. But Gale and Catnip realized what I did, and now the three of us are in a standoff. I alternate my aim between the two of them, doing my best to keep Peeta behind me. If I can kill one of them, he and the Doctor might be able to overpower the other. That still leaves them with the mutts to deal with, but it's the best chance I can give them.

"You don't need to do this," says Peeta. "We can all get out alive."

"Yeah?" says Catnip. "And how will that work? We help you, us and everyone we care about dies."

"If we don't kill you, the others will," Gale growls. "They're not going to pass up this opportunity to go home."

"Go on then," the Doctor says. He stands in front of Gale and Catnip and spreads his arms out. "Do it. But then the killing will never end. And for the next hundred years, more children will be dragged off to die for entertainment. This moment, right here, right now, is your moment to be so much more. This is your chance to show the Capitol that you're more than just a piece in their Games."

"You don't get it," Gale spits. "If we help you , we, and everyone we care about, will die. If we kill you then Catnip and I can go home and our families will survive."

"I can help you," the Doctor says softly. "But you have to trust me."

I have a sinking feeling. The Doctor has asked Gale and Catnip for the one thing I know they cannot give him: Trust.

Gale and Catnip consider for a moment. "We'll help you," Catnip finally says. "If you can protect our families and get us away from the mutts."

"You have a plan, right?" Peeta asks.

"It's more of a reckless, crazy,_ thing_ that will probably kill us all," The Doctor says, pointing his screwdriver at the monkeys between us and the lightning tree. "Whatever you do, don't stop running."

"You're not serious!" Gale protests.

But it's too late. With a shout of "Geronimo!" the Doctor activates his screwdriver and charges at the monkeys.


	5. The Island

The Doctor charges the mutts, his screwdriver whirring. Several mutts leap out of the way, but the ones that don't explode into puffs of dust, leaving a clear trail for us to run through. When the mutts realize what's happening, they scream and attack again. But Peeta, Gale, Catnip or I manage to fend them off. Finally we must leave the monkey's range because they stop pursuing us. Instead, they shriek before turning and fleeing deeper into the jungle.

With the mutts no longer pursuing us, we stop and rest. To be more accurate, everyone but the Doctor falls to the ground panting. None of us move for several minutes while we try to catch our breath. Finally, we manage to get back up. Peeta and I watch for other Tributes while Gale and Catnp tap a nearby tree. The four of us quench our thirst while the Doctor makes sweeps with his screwdriver.

"Standard force-field all around the Arena," he says. "Not strong, but durable. I could break it open with the sonic if I had a few days to find the right frequency, but we don't have days." He paces back and forth for a moment. "That ship that took the TARDIS," he says. "It had to get in and out somehow. How often does it come?"

"Only when a Tribute dies," Peeta says.

"Killing one of you is out of the question," the Doctor says, running a hand through his hair. "But they have to keep track of you somehow. How?"

"Tracking device," Gale answers. "That and the cameras they have all over the Arena."

The Doctor activates his screwdriver and there are explosions of sparks all over the Arena."That takes care of the cameras," he says, putting his screwdriver in his jacket pocket.

I imagine the Gamemakers scrambling around the control room trying to re-establish their link with the cameras. It's also very likely that someone will lose their life because of this. I have no reason to regret it, but I have a feeling the Doctor will if he ever finds out.

"What now?" Peeta asks.

"I need to build a transmitter," the Doctor says. "But I need supplies."

"The Cornucopia," I suggest. "Most supplies are there."

"It's mostly weapons," Gale says. "If you want us to hunt down the other Tributes, we'll need them."

"There's been enough killing," the Doctor says. "I need those weapons to build the transmitter."

"How can you build a transmitter out of weapons?" Catnip asks.

"I've saved the Universe with a kettle and some string," the Doctor answers smugly. "I can easily build a transmitter out of a pile of weapons. Come on." He bounds off towards the Cornucopia.

Catnip and Gale hesitate. "Even if he can't make a transmitter, being at the Cornucopia gives us the best vantage point in the Arena," I say.

"And the lake is the best source of food," Peeta adds.

"What about water?" Gale asks.

"We could tap a tree near the edge of the jungle," I say. "With half the trees down, we can see anyone if they get within a hundred yards."

With that settled, it doesn't take us long to travel to the Cornucopia. It's washed off the island, creating a bridge between the beach and the island. But the wave has washed out most of the supplies too. All that remains are a few weapons that weren't washed away. The Doctor picks over them before sorting them into two seemingly arbitrary piles. He sends me and Peeta to dive for weapons, or whatever other supplies we can find on the lake bottom. We have to take breaks every so often because the salt water burns our eyes.

Despite that, the water seems to rejuvenate us, and we make good time. Within a couple hours we have a sizable pile of weapons. I also make sure to collect any arrows I can find, but I only find about a dozen. Peeta takes some time to collect oysters which we eat when we take a lunch break. While eating, I silently wish for the sauce we received during our Quell. The taste of the oysters isn't bad, but they're slimy and I have to swallow two or three times before it feels like they go down. The sauce made them easier to swallow. The bread helped too, but there's none of that here, and I doubt we'll get any.

After the lunch break, Peeta and I go back to diving for weapons. After about an hour, I find the coil of wire that was left for Beetee mostly buried under silt. After taking it back to shore and cleaning it off, I hold the spool for a moment, just looking. This small spool of wire was our way of escape last time, and I consider using it again. But I discard that idea. Now the Arena is unpredictable, the lightning strike could happen anywhere at any time. We can't just pick a tree and wait for something to happen. That would get us killed. Instead, I give the wire to the Doctor.

"This is _exactly_ what I needed," he proclaims excitedly. He bounds over to one of the piles of weapons and starts unwinding the spool. I turn and head back into the lake to collect anything else I can. While Peeta and I dive, the Doctor starts wielding the weapons and wire together with his screwdriver.

As night falls, the Doctor proclaims he is satisfied with the pile of weapons Peeta and I collected. With nothing else to do, we walk around the island several times, talking and watching the beach. It's a nice change of pace from constantly running for our lives. Travelling with the Doctor would be more enjoyable if something wasn't constantly trying to kill us. But I see each threat as an obstacle between me and saving Prim and my father. And I have vowed that nothing will stop me from saving them.

While Peeta and I walk around the island, Gale and Catnip keep watch for the other Tributes. But they don't show themselves which isn't surprising. As long as we're on the island, we have an unobstructed view of the beach. If they attacked, we could easily pick them off because the moon provides enough light for us to see. As we make our fourth circuit around the island, Peeta gets too close to Gale for Gale's comfort. Gale instinctively raises his bow.

"You can trust us," Peeta says.

"Trust you?" Gale laughs. "Trust the baker's spoiled brat? I don't think so."

Peeta grits his teeth and balls his hands into fists, but says nothing. I gently put my right hand on his left shoulder. He relaxes slightly, though I can still feel the tension in his shoulder. Being here in the Arena has made him more tense, though he won't admit it. Still, he refuses to take Gale's bait. So Gale pushes.

"What does Katniss see in you anyway?" Gale asks. "You're soft and weak. What could you possibly give her that I couldn't?"

"Everything," I say. I make sure I'm looking at Peeta with all the adoration I can muster. It's not as hard as it was during the Games and the Victory Tour. But I didn't truly love him then. Not like I do now. "He's kind and brave. He is always there for me. He can make me laugh when no one else can. He understands me like no one else ever could. And he's a better man than you."

My words have cut Gale deeply. I can see from the way he reacts, the way his eyes flicker in pain. But instead of guilt, I only feel a cruel satisfaction. To add to Gale's suffering, I kiss Peeta's cheek. We press our foreheads together before I kiss Peeta on the lips. He draws me in more tightly and neither of us pulls away until we have to come up for air.

I look over to see Gale gripping his bow so tightly that his hands are bone-white. "Ignore them Gale," Catnip says as she joins us. "He can't possibly compare to you. The way you can hunt. How we work together. How you understand me." She runs a hand across his face and down his chest. He pulls her in, and they kiss.

"No one could ever compare to you," Catnip says when she and Gale pull apart.

"I just built a transmitter out of weapons and a coil of wire," the Doctor interrupts as he steps between us. He looks cross. "But there's no one around looking impressed. What's the point in having you all?"

We all stand in discomfort at the Doctor's intrusion in our private war. None of us make eye contact with anyone else. Instead I glance away from the others and focus my gaze on a tree on the other side of the lake. I'm focusing on the way the bark curls on the tree when Catnip finally answers.

"We were busy," she says, crossing her arms and clearly uncomfortable.

"Doing what?" the Doctor asks. As if he didn't notice. Then again, maybe he really didn't, or at least doesn't understand what we're doing. Maybe Time Lords don't do this kind of thing.

"Watching for the other Tributes," Peeta answers without looking at the Doctor.

"Yes, well, you can still look impressed," the Doctor grumbles.

"I'll be impressed if you can get us out of here," Gale says.

"I'm working on it," the Doctor says. "We need a way to get a hovercraft to come into the Arena."

"We have to hunt down one of the others," Gale says. "The hovercraft will only come in if a Tribute dies.

"There's been enough killing," the Doctor says softly.

I hear a roar. I turn to see Brutus charging at us, a sword raised over his head.

"Not yet," says Gale bringing his bow up. He smiles broadly. "This one's mine."

That's when the other Tributes attack.


	6. Breaking Out

**Hey all, before continuing, I thought it would be prudent to add a couple thanks. First off, thanks to you, the readers, both those who have been with on the adventure from the beginning and those who have only joined. When I first started, I never realized how huge of an undertaking this "series" would be, and I wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for the encouragements that you all give me, either through PMing or commenting. So a big thanks to all of you. Second, a big thanks to LastWhovian Trailers on Youtube. LWT won't ever know it, but the Doctor Who trailers he puts up, were a huge part of the reason I decided to do this cross-over and continue to provide inspiration during times when I struggle with what to do next. Third, to all those who add to both the Hunger Games wiki, and the TARDIS index files (the Doctor Who wiki) for providing me with a quick reference when I can't find stuff on my own. Another to James Newton Howard, Murry Gold, and the orchestras that performed the music that I listen to while writing. And last, and perhaps the most important, to Suzanne Collins and Sydney Newman (and the innumerable script writers) for being the creators of both of these excellent works.**

**Allons-y!**

* * *

Gale's arrow bounces off Brutus' chest. That's all I see before Enobaria swings her sword at my head. I duck under the blade then frantically backpedal while trying to get an arrow out of my quiver. But I trip over a discarded spear. Enobara takes advantage of the opportunity and charges at me. This time, she will not miss.

As she raises her sword for the killing blow, her back arches and she cries out in pain. She drops her sword as she collapses face-first to the ground. Protruding from her back is Finnick's trident. Behind her is Finnick and I do a double take. Seeing him alive and well after witnessing his violent death in my Universe is unnerving.

"Enough!" the Doctor yells. The cannon fires as if to add power to his words. Everyone freezes as the Doctor seems to loom over all of us. "There's been enough killing."

"We have to kill them," Gale says. "Otherwise, they'll kill us." He raises his bow and aims an arrow at Brutus' head.

"You can be so much better," the Doctor says softly. "No one else has to die."

"Who put you in charge?" Gale spits. I can tell from his expression that he will kill Brutus and the others no matter what the Doctor says. "They have to die. Before they kill us. That's how the Games work." He raises his bow and aims it at Brutus. Next to him, Catnip alternates her aim between Johanna and Finnick.

"The rules have changed," the Doctor says. "I can get us all out of this alive. You just have to trust me."

Gale says nothing, but his brows furrow in concentration. "One condition," Gale finally says. "I want the others tied up. And I want someone to keep an eye on them at all times."

"You can trust Finnick and Johanna," Peeta offers.

Gale glowers at Peeta. "If you trust them, I don't," he says. "They all get tied up or I kill them."

Johanna hefts one of her axes. "I could take you down lover boy," she says. "No one is tying me up."

"We're on your side," Finnick says. "You can trust us."

"Then why were you with the Careers?" Catnip demands.

"We were going along with them so we could kill them," Finnick answers. "We're here to protect you. Trust us."

"The only one I trust is Catnip," Gale growls. But he lowers his bow. That's when Brutus makes a break for the beach. Gale raises his bow, but the Doctor grabs it and pushes it down.

"Let him go," the Doctor says. "He isn't a threat to anyone now."

Gale jerks his hand away from the Doctor and storms off to the other side of the beach. Catnip follows him, and the two of them have a quiet conversation. It's not hard to imagine what they're discussing. They're wondering if they should make a break for it now while they still can, or if they should wait to see if the Doctor really can bring down the force field.

"Who are you then?" Johanna asks.

"I'm the Doctor, this is Katniss, and Peeta," the Doctor says, pointing to each of us in turn.

"You're both Katniss?" Finnick asks. "I thought you were a twin sister or a cousin."

"We're from a parallel Universe," I answer. "That's what he said anyway." I point to the Doctor.

"Parallel Universe?" Finnick asks.

"The people and places are the same, but details are different," I say. "I don't really know how to explain it better than that."

Johanna's eyes narrow. "Are you sure we shouldn't just kill them?" she asks. "I don't like unknown factors."

"No, they knew to trust us," Finnick says. "How?"

"In our Quell, Peeta and I, we learned about your association with Thirteen," I answer.

"You?" Johanna asks. "Gale volunteered for the Quell, not you."

"Here, yes," I answer. "In our Universe, Peeta was reaped for our first Game then volunteered for the Quell, taking Haymitch's place. But the important part is that we know about the plan to break us, or I suppose Catnip and Gale technically, out."

Finnick's eyes widen. "You know?"

"Everything," Peeta says. "Or most of it anyway. We know the bread marked the day and hour of escape. We know about the rebel hovercraft and the plan to bring down the force field. We know that the Tributes from Districts four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and eleven all knew part of the plan. Your job was to know the code in the bread. Beetee's job was to get us out of the Arena."

Finnick lets out a hollow bitter laugh. "You see how well that went," he says. "Beetee is dead. So how did you escape?"

"Beetee didn't die in our Universe," Peeta answers. "He survived and the plan worked, although not as well as hoped. I was captured by the Capitol and tortured."

"Speaking of escape," the Doctor interjects. "I need a plan to get a hovercraft to come in so I can copy the transmission they send to get through the force field."

"We can use Enobara's body," Gale says as he and Catnip join us. "Now she's dead, the hovercraft has to come in to collect her."

"Not necessarily," Johanna says. "If they know it's a trap, they'll leave the body."

"It's our best chance of escape," I say.

"If it doesn't work?" Catnip asks.

"It'll work," the Doctor insists.

He bounds over to his transmitter to get it ready. Now that the sun has risen, I get a good look at it. I don't think that it will work. I've seen satellites before, and the design mimics it, but the thing the Doctor has built is a crude outline at best.

The base is made of crates. Stacked on top of them in a seemingly arbitrary manner are spears. They all point upwards, and on top of them is a dish made of swords and bows that have had the strings removed. A trident protrudes from the center of the dish. From the base of the trident extends the wire. I never realized how much of it there was until now. It is draped across the entire transmitter and winds around spears and swords.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" I ask.

"Of course it'll work," the Doctor says, attaching the end of the wire to his screwdriver "We can send the body out. The transmitter is ready."

We move Enobara's body to the lake, and let it float away. While we wait for the hovercraft to show up, we keep an eye out for Brutus. But the Doctor is likely right that he won't show up now there are seven of us. Even as formidable as he is, he won't challenge us when he's so outnumbered.

It doesn't take long for the hovercraft to show up and collect Enobara's remains. It becomes visible as the claw drops from it's belly. The moment the claw closes around her body, the hovercraft is flying away.

"Got it!" announces the Doctor. "I just have to magnify the frequency and bring down the force field." He activates his screwdriver. Nothing seems to happen at first. Then I hear the sound of ringing metal. It grows louder and higher in pitch with each second that passes. Just when it becomes painful, the sound ceases, but is replaced with the sound of breaking glass. I look up at the sky.

The sky ripples like the surface of a pond after a rock has been dropped in it. The ripples extend from the top of the dome down to the sides. The ripples grow larger and larger. Near the ground, I can hear the sound of trees being torn apart. I assume that the ripples are large enough that they're tearing apart the trees around the edges of the Arena.

The ripples grow larger and larger. Where the ripples touch, there are bursts of electricity and storms of hot sparks that rain down on us. When I start to fear that the ripples will strike us, there is a loud cracking sound and the force field is torn apart. It explodes outwards, oddly silent, and turns into wisps that soon disappear. I look up to see the sky above us is a natural blue, not the unnatural nightmarish pink.

"You did it," Gale says, disbelief obvious in his voice. "You broke the force field."

"Like I said," the Doctor says smugly as he adjusts his bow tie. "I know what I'm doing."

Finnick looks up and points. "There's the rebel hovercraft," he says.

I look up to see it. It flies towards us, dropping a ladder as it draws near. It slows down only long enough for us to grab the ladder. As in our Universe, as soon as we touch the ladder, the electric current freezes us in place. When all seven of us are attached, the hovercraft flies away as the ladder pulls us up into the hovercraft.

The hatch closes below us and the current shuts off. We all step away from the ladder and into the main seating area of the hovercraft. At the moment, there's only two occupants.

"Hello Haymitch," I say. His eyes flit back and forth between me and Catnip.

"Congratulations sweetheart," Haymitch says. "You've managed to double the severity of the headaches you cause me. Just when I thought one of you was hard enough to keep track of." He takes a bottle out of his bag. I suppress a smile. Him being exactly the same is oddly the most comforting thing so far.

I turn to the other occupant while Haymitch is taking a swig from his bottle. "Hello Boggs," I say. His eyebrows rise in surprise exactly the same way they did in our Universe. Similarly, he hides it quickly. "I like the ride by the way. I'm flattered that Thirteen cares so much. Then again, we wouldn't want to harm our Mockingjay."

If my recognition of him caused mild surprise, my last statement leaves him speechless. His mouth hangs open for a moment before he clears his throat. "That was our initial plan," he admits. "But honestly, we're more interested in him now." He points at the Doctor.

"Me?" the Doctor asks seemingly confused. I still can't tell with him. I think his emotions are displayed the same as a humans, but there's no way to be sure without asking. Right now though, that isn't a good idea. Everyone except Peeta thinks he's human and I don't think they'll react well if they learn he isn't.

"Him?" Gale asks in disbelief. He at least, I can read easily. He's angry and scared. I can't blame him, especially with everything that's been dumped on him over the last twenty-four hours.

Boggs nods. "After seeing what he did to the Arena . . . well, we wanted to make sure he joined us."

"But what about our families?" Catnip demands. "Did the Capitol punish them for helping him?"

"No," says Boggs. "The Capitol has left them alone for now. As we speak, the evacuation of District Twelve is in progress just in case. But most people people aren't keen to leave. We're hoping if he joins us, they'll be more likely to come along."

"Join you for what?" The Doctor asks.

"The Revolution," I answer. "They want you to help overthrow the Capitol." It's not surprising really. If I were Coin I would want the Doctor on my side too. Actually I would want him on my side no matter who I was.

"That was the hope," Boggs says. "But the President wanted to ask you personally."

"I'm flattered, but I don't really do revolutions," the Doctor says. "Well, technically that's not true, but only if there's minimal violence."

"Why?" Johanna asks as she lounges in one of the benches along the wall. Though she seems relaxed, her right hand grips her ax tightly. "The Capitol deserves to have the entire population turned on them. They deserve to have their precious city burned to the ground. And Snow deserves to die an excruciating death."

"Meeting violence with violence only perpetuates violence," the Doctor says softly. "I've been around a long time and what I've learned is that if you don't take the higher path, if you don't make the difficult choices, you will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past and nothing will ever truly change."

Catnip scowls. "So what?" she says. "We give the people a chance to carry out justice."

"Justice?" the Doctor asks. "Or revenge? Don't mistake the two."

"What's the difference as long as someone pays?" Gale asks.

"Revenge is destructive," the Doctor answers. "It destroys the victim, and the one carrying it out, not to mention countless others. I've seen entire civilizations burned to the ground for the sake of revenge."

"I still think they should all die," Gale growls before moving to the far side of the hovercraft and taking a seat. Catnip joins him, curling up against him while he protectively wraps an arm around her. They don't say anything, but they don't take their eyes off us. We may have gotten them out of the Arena, but they don't trust us. I'm starting to think they never will. Catnip does, to an extent, trust me, but only because we're so similar.

Similar, but we are not the same as I originally thought. The longer I spend with her, the more I notice the differences. She seems much angrier than I ever was, more eager to spill blood. I suspect Gale's influence causes those changes.

I thought I would choose him once, all those years ago. But now I'm glad I didn't. Gale has changed Catnip into a darker version of me. Not quite opposites, but obviously different. It worries me._ What will she become during the Revolution?_ I think. For me, I was focused on revenge, but I had limits, unlike Gale. I've come to the conclusion that Peeta may have unintentionally influenced me to be less destructive.

I look at him. My husband and lover. My friend and shield. One of the few people I would tear apart the Universe to save. He catches me looking at him, and grins. "Well this is going much better than last time," he says.

"It's not hard to do," I point out. "This time you're safe and with me." I curl up against him, getting as comfortable as possible on the hard bench. I must doze off because next thing I know, Peeta is gently shaking me awake.

"We're landing," he says.

I make sure I have my few possessions before we all move to the exit. When the ramp drops down, we all make our way down it. At the bottom, waiting for us, is Alma Coin, the President of 13. I'm not happy to see her.

"I apologize for the rude welcome," Coin says. "But we had to get you out before the Capitol hovercraft could show up." She turns to face the Doctor. "You must be the mysterious Doctor who single-handedly sent the Capitol into a blind panic. We want you to join the Rebellion as our figurehead."

"No Mockingjay?" I blurt out.

Coin turns her slush-grey eyes on me. "Initially, yes," she says. "But after seeing him, we decided he would be more valuable to our cause than the Mockingjay could ever be. That's why we want him."

"I'm flattered," the Doctor says. "But I don't make a habit of allying with people I don't know."

"Don't worry," Coin says with a cold smile. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."

"You're not my type," the Doctor says. I have to disguise my laugh by pretending to cough.

I see a flicker of irritation crack Coin's façade for a moment. But she quickly regains her composure. "Your assistance will be invaluable in defeating the Capitol," she says. "You could save thousands of lives. You would be adored as the hero of the revolution."

"I'm not a pawn you can manipulate," the Doctor says. "But I'll consider your offer."

"Good," says Coin. "Make sure your decision is the right one. Otherwise you and your friends may find yourself in a prison cell."

"I don't like being threatened," the Doctor says menacingly. "And I don't like you either."

Coin doesn't flinch away, but I see a flicker of hatred in her eyes. "I want to know exactly where you stand," she says. "I don't like dealing with rouge elements. Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do." She inclines her head mockingly before leaving the room.

"What now?" I ask.

The Doctor turns to face us before answering. "We're going to lead a revolution."

**Doctor Who: The Hunger Games Series will continue in ****_Shatter Point_****. . . **


End file.
